Air compressor



July 25, 1933. w' w. PAGET 1,919,252

AIR COMPRESSOR Filed Oct. 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Zei 'MMIII w w.PAGE-r AIR COMPRESSOR July 25, 1933.

Filed Oct. 15,' 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 25, 1933, i l l am'coMrnEsson Application med linitierunseen serial n.5es,a2a. j

` This invention relatesto improvements in are based u on 'the annularwall 6 and are Y air compressors,andimore particularly to curvedrsligtly in thesame direction, 'alcompressors ofthe type'which utilize aliquid rthough disposed -in a generally. radial relav as the compressivemedium.v g .I tion to the `axis of the rotor. tEach pocket The object ofthe invention is to provide flhas'avalved portv9kthrough`its bottom sec-55 a novel andpractical type of aircompressor, tion-'0f the annularwall" 6 to vthe' internal` .Y calculatedA to operate ata high* degree of{Chamber 54a at the Center of the-rotor. Each `elliciency and with'aminimum` offwea'r on ofthe valved'portshas a ball-shapedvalve themoyingpar i y: 1 `member lyadapted to normally close' the.

.110` The pirlinipllinvolvedlj th @peri/'fion' of l:opening from theinside of the central cham- 60 the improvedjcompressor togethellI withits.' ber,-bc1ng enclosed within aslotted cylindric 5 mecmmichal-f,v 4Qnstuctwjnd,desiglisili :cage 11 of a Ali ht metal construction pro'- Y'Figure 3 is'an enlarged detail of "thelvlv, Pocketsclosed:'inithjef'acco'lnpanyin'g fdra'wings in )ectinglinto the lnternal'chamber, and adaptwhich i i 'i ed' to .engage a concave valve seat 12sur- 2 general view in yerticalsec-f grounding the opening. These valvedo 651 v tion through the compressor; 1ngsor ports extendingcircumferentially Figure 2 is a view inl horizontal sectionfaround thecentral chamber in equally spaced through the drum and rotor 'as takenon line relation, lprovide the discharge openings for :2&2 0f Figure 1,and f the compressed air to be delivered from the y ,-"'\70 constructionas'taken on line 3--31of-Fig#" `The rotor, as already noted,is sus ndedure 2. p i within the drum, said rotor having a ollow` lThe movinglparts ofthe machine are sup? shaft 13 extending upwardly from thecenter ported upon a suitable' frameA 1 for rotationl ofthe top wall andjournalled in bearings 13 `about vertical axes, the main movin parts#immediately above the vdrum 2. Above the *IIS*y l being a relativelyshallow cylindric rum 2 bearing 13 is a pinion 15lxed .tothe shaft 12 fand a rotor 3 located within the druml with andpmeshing with a suitabledriving gear 16. its axis offset from or eccentric with respect lAny'suitable drive, however,` may. be emto the axis of said drum. fployed for the rotor. Thus the rotor3 is the l The drum has the form ofa cylindric cas-` driven member, while the drum 2 is mounted 81.)l f

ing with a `circular opening 2' in its top wall to idle or rotate freelyon its axis. v i of a diameter of approximately one-half the N ow,within the drum is containedA a quandiameter of the drum andqconcentricwith its tity of liquidL 4Such S Water, which S ref-V axis. Dependingcentrally from its bottom erably supplie continuously tothe rum wall isa stud shaft 4 `journalled in suitably through a feedpipe `17 projectingdownward' 85 designed bearings 4, 4* whereby the drum ly through the topopening '2vin the drum is mounted to rotate freely about its verticalnear itsedgeand thence-'turned radially. *A axis.' i It w'll beunderstood at this point that The rotor` 3 also has the general form ofa any'liquidA introduced intO the drum Would 4 drumconsisting of a pairof circular walls iIl the absence of rotative movement find its 90 5spaced apart and an annular transverse level ina horizontalplaneyso'lthat `in defin-` wall 6 joining thecircular'wallssubstantially ing the disposition of rthis liquid, it must be 'midwaybetween'their common axes vand peassumed thatfit isr'rotating with thedrum ripheries and dividing the space between the `llt-such .a high,speed thatcentrifugal force lf circularwalls radially into a centralcharm, `-overcomestheforce of gravity, and it becomes 95 'ber- 5 and anannular surrounding channelg'ianf annular body with lts level defined byan This outer channell is subdividedinto a pluannular surfacesubstantially coinciding with rality of outwardly opening pockets 7- bya the edgeof the top opening 2of the drum and series o fblades or vanes8 spaced apart at concentric with the axis of rotationof the equalinterval `about the rotenV These vanes drum. Moreover, the rotor beingthe driv- 100 .below the liquid level.4

the drum becomes a driven member and rotates onlyy because of the,friction exerted on its internal surface by the liquid, which in turn isbeing' circulated by the rotor. Thus when starting the machine,

ing member,

the rotor is started and the liquid, which,..

Vith the relationship between the moving partsand the disposition of theliquid mass when the compressor is'operating at. its lnormal speedclearly in mind,the compressor action will now be discussed with the aidof 4certain graphic representations on Figure In the first place, it isseen that the axis of rotation of the rotor is eccentric to of the drumas well as the annular surface or level of the liquidindicated by theletter Z. Thus assuming that the rotor is turning in a'counterclockwisedirection as indicated by the arrow, a portion of its peripheryincluding an arc somewhat less than a semi-circle, at all times fallsinside ofthe circle'indicating theliquid level Z, whereas the remainingarc of the rotor periphery falls outside of. or Now the annular spaceatthe central portion of the drum manifestly'forms an` air space intowhich` air at atmospheric pressure enters through the `top opening Qf.Hence the air enters and iills the pockets 7 4in the rotor which at themoment are inside of the circle Z indicating the liquid level. Thustracing the progress of one of these pockets lfilled with atmospheric yair, it follows that as it traveLs toward the point where its peripheryintersects the liquid level Z, the air area-'AU trapped thereinundergoes no com-` pression until the trailing vaneB .of the particularpocket being considered has passed into the body of the liquid L. Atthis point e the volume ofair trappef. inthe pocketis ,subjected to thepressure of the liquid which tends tomaintain its annular level andtherethe pocket` as the latter travels to 'agreater depth below theliquid level in its eccentric'path of travel. Thus at the outset thereare two opposi g forces -set up, namely, that of the pressure of theliquid compressing the air, and the air resisting or forcing back vthewater. However, the air being less dense than the water, it is subjectedto a steadily increasing liquid pressure, al-

though there is i the `axis storage tank or otherpoint of use,

(indicated by the unshaded -tate about an axis l v an accompanying'resistanceto compression offered by the air, with the result that thereis a depression of the water level in the pocket below the normal levelZ to that indicated by the dotted line Z1, this first stage ofcompression being indicated by the smaller area A2 in Figure 2.Similarly as the rotor carries the saine pocket still deeper below thenormal level Z to the -next stage, the pressure is proportionatelyincreased, with the result that the air is further compressed to itsmaximum reduced volume A3, which is accompanied with a furtherdepression of the liquid level to that indicated b 2.

Now, the valve associated with the particular pocket being considered,is held to its seat by vcentrifugal force during the first two stages ofcompression A1 and A2, but upon reaching the third stage vA8 thepressure to which the air is compressed overcomes theopposing'centrifugal force holding the valve 'to its seat, and the valveopens allowing the liisrseries of steps is performed by each pocket onceduring each revolution, and since there are a considerable number ofpockets and the rotor is revolving on its axis at a high rate of speed,it follows that although the volume of aii compressed `in each pocket isrelatively small, the aggregate is quite large, and comparable to thecapacity of compressors of other types ofthe same or approximate rating.

The compressed air manifestly is discharged through tlie hollow rotorshaft 13 from the central chambei` 5a tok asuitable the connection fromthe end of the rotating shaft toa stationary pipe 1,4 being preferablythrough a suitable joint 14:a packed with a fluid sealing medium such asmercury.

From the foregoing` it will he seen that the compression is primarilyeffected by the pressure exerted by a body of vliquid upon smallincrements-of air trapped at` atmospheric pressure and depressed belowthe liquid level. The operation is made continuousby arranging thepockets in which thek air is trapped, radially about a drivenv rotormounted to roeccentric` to the axis of the .freely rotating drum inwhich the annular mass of the liquid is retained. y It follows',therefore, that under the impeller action of the rotor, the mass ofliquid revolves the same speedas the rotor so that the compression ofthe air is the result of ythe pressure of the liquid upon the volumes oftrapped air,and not the utilization of kinetic energy of the water.

Manifestly heat is generated during the operation of the machine as itis whenever air is compressed, this being latent heat which l reasonthat it is fresh liquid to the drum in this case is'absorbed by theliquid, being a natural cooling medium.

preferred to continually add an outer concentric flange 19 inclined upofthis flange is-surrouiided collecting ring 2O having an internallyfacing l U-shaped'clianii'el alid va discharge pipeZOjv wardly andoutwardly mately 45 to the vertical. The outer edge by a "stationaryleading radially therefrom. `Thus as fresh liquid is added tothe drinn,the level of the liquid tends to ,advance toward the axis of j 'beequally .serviceable under varying ,con-` is maintained at the drum, andin so doing the liquid overflows,

through theopenings 18 ai'idthence is thrown by centrifugal force intothe collecting ring 20 fordisposal. 'Inl this manuel-the liquid auniform temperature and volume within the drum, y,

It maybe stated that water is suitable for use as thefluidfcompressing-medium, 'although heavier liquids or even mercurywould ditions. Consequently I do not wishto be limited to the use of anyparticular form of liquid, nor in fact to any specific details of theapparatus shown.

I claim as my invention:

1. An air compressor comprising a drum mounted to rotate freely about avertical axisl and'having a closed bottom and a top inlet, a drivenrotor mounted within said drum with its axis offset from but. parallelto the axis thereof, and a predetermined quantity of liquid within saiddrum, said drum, liquid and rotoi being adapted to rotate simultaneouslywhereby said liquid under centrifugal force becomes an annular masshaving its surface substantially concentric with the axis of rotation ofthe drum, said rotor having a plurality of radially opening pocketsmeans foradniitting air` about its periphery, l t tol'said ldrum andwithin tliefspace surrounded by the liquid whereby the'same trappedwithin the pockets and'carried thereby below the surface of the liquidto be compressed thereby, and means for automatically releasing thecompressed air from the bottom lof said pockets when the'stag'e ofmaximum compression is reached.

2. An air compressor'comprising a drum closed at its bottom and open at'its top and mounted to rotate freely about a vertical axis, a drivenrotor mounted within said drum with its'axis offset fromthe axistliereof, and a quantity of liquid within said drum Itis 'for this whichenters through y at an angle of approxi,

` centrifugal annular V4;.wal1 connecting said central chamber with andmaintainedv in motion with drum 'by force created by the impeller actionof said rotor whereby the liquid a'ssuiiies the mounted to rotate freelyabout a vertical axis, a driven rotor mounted within saiddrum withit's'axis offsetffroni but parallel tothe axis thereof, apredeterminedquantity of liquid within saiddruni, said drum,y liquid androtor being adaptedtoi'otlate `in the same direction and simultaneouslywhereby said liquidv under'` centrifugalfforcebecomes an annulaiyniasshaving'its surface.concentric with the axis ofrotationofthe drinn, saidrotor comprising a plurality of radially opening air pockets.surrounding a central chamber connected therewitliby aplurality ofvalved ports, means for admitting air at atinosl'iheric pressure to saiddrum, a, dischargepipe connected withthe central chainber cffsaid rotor,and means for continuously effecting a controlled change ofV the-liquidwithin said drum.

4. An air compressor comprising af drum mounted to rot-ate freely abouta vertical axis, a driven rotor mounted within said drum with itsaxisoffset from the axis thereof, a predetermined quantity of liquidwithin said drum, said drum, liquid and rotoi being adapted to rotate inthe same direction and simultaneously whereby said liquid under forcebecomes a substantially stable mass having an annular free surfaceconcentric with the axis of rotation of the drum, said iotor comprisinga plurality of radially central chamber separated therefrom by an wall,valved ports in said annular veach of said pockets, and operative by thepressure exerted by the air at a predetermined degree of compression toopen and pass the air to said central chamber, means for conducting thecompressed air from said chamber, and means for continuously effecting acontrolled change of the liquid within said drum including liquid supplymeans and means for automatically discharging excess liquid from the topof said drum.

5. An air compressor comprising a drum` mounted for free axial rotationon a vertical axis and having an air inlet opening adjacent its axis, aquantity of liquid contained Within below the level ofthe y,liquid and'opening air pockets surrounding a L said drum and subject to centrifugalforce i a predetermined depthl ducting the compressed air and means forcontinuously eilectmg a con-r trolled change of the. hquld within saiddrum.

through valved ports,

acting in the vrotation thereof to assume a'surp face concentric withthe axis of rotation of the drum, a driven rotor mounted in said drumand rotative on an axis eccentric to the vaxis thereof, said rotorhaving radially opening pockets about its periphery and a centralchamber vcommunicating with said pockets through valved openings, eachof said pockets during the rotation of said rotor moving from 'apositionabove the surface of the liquid to below the surface whereby thequantity of air within each pocket is ci'inpressed bythe pressure of theliquid exerted thereon, and thereupon discharged through a valved'opening into the central vchamber of said rotor, means for confrom saidrotor,

l 6. Anair compressor comprising a drum mounted for free axial rotationon a vertical axis and liavlngan a1r inletk opening adjacent its axis, aquantity ofliquid contained within saidA drum and subject to centrifugalforce acting in the rotation thereof to assume a surface concentric withthe axis of *rotation of the drum, a driven rotor mounted in said drumand rotative'on an axis eccentr'ic'to 'the axis thereof, said rotorhaving radiallyopen? ing pockets about its periphery and a centralchamber communicating with lsaid pockets each of said pockets during therotation of said rotor movin! from 'whereby the quantity of air a.position above the surface `of the liquidito a below the surface withineach pocket is compressed by theV pressure of the liquid exertedthereon, said valve ports acting automati ally under the pressure oftheair to open at the stage of maximum compression to permit the passage ofthe air into said central chamber of said rotor, and means forcontinuously effecting a controlled change of the liquid Within saiddrum including liquid supply means and means for automaticallydischarging excess liquid from the top of said drum.

7. An air compressor comprising a container freely rotatable vupon avertical axis, a mass of liquid lin said container adapted to assume a.condition of substantial stability relativev thereto, a driven rotor'rotatable in said container about avertical axis eccentric to thecontainer and the surface of the liquid during normal rotation of therotor and .container, said rotor'havinga plurality of air pockets aboutits periphery adapted to trap the air at atmospheric pressure and carryit predetermined depth beneath the surface of the liquid to compress`the air,l means for releasingthe compressed air'from said pockets,"meansfor controlling the quantity of liquid .-in' said container yincludin'ePa vertical opening through thev upper Wall ofJ the latter surrounded bya throwing flange, and a drain casing enclosing said

